SPLM allegedly receiving foreign support for Sudan elections

June 19, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan dominant party, the National Congress Party echoed reports published in Khartoum about foreign financial support to the South Sudan ruling party saying law bans parties from receiving external financial assistance.

The Sudanese pro-government newspaper Akhir Lahzah on June 15 published a letter allegedly written by Pagan Amum SPLM Secretary General to Tim Shortley, Director of the Sudan Programs Group, asking him to support his party in its efforts to prepare for the forthcoming elections.

The letter is dated as of December 21, 2008.

Reacting to this letter Mahdi Mandour, the secretary for political relations at the ruling National Congress Party told reporters in Khartoum that such issue can only be ruled by a judge. He further stressed that laws forbid any political party from receiving foreign funds.

Mandour said the receipt of external funds is unacceptable, adding that bringing a case against the SPLM is up to the judicial and legal authorities.

Seen as milestone in the CPA, Sudan’s first free Presidential and parliamentary elections on national and state levels, since more than 20 years, are scheduled to be held in February 2010.

The two partners of the CPA disagree about the outcome of the fifth census; the SPLM rejects the announced result and contests its validity. However based on these results, the electoral board distributed the 450 constituencies.

Mandour said if the SPLM maintains its rejection of the census results that means it has no interest in the elections.

(ST)